Splitgate 2 Battle Royale Players Are Frustrated By Microtransactions

Summary

Splitgate 2 surprise-dropped a Battle Royale mode, but fans are upset over pricey microtransactions.
Fans criticized the CEO’s actions and the game’s perceived unfinished state.
Splitgate 2’s negative reviews outnumbered positive ones after a mixed beta reception.

Splitgate 2 surprise-dropped a Battle Royale mode upon the game’s full release, but many fans are unhappy with the pricey microtransactions that came with it. The sequel to 1047 Games’ Halo-meets-Portal online shooter had a lot to live up to, given the first title’s success and an increasingly crowded online FPS market, and its open beta met mixed reviews. Unfortunately for Splitgate 2, its full launch has not gone much better so far, with many criticizing its cosmetics prices.

The game’s open beta ended, ushering in the full release on Friday, June 6. 1047 Games celebrated the moment with a new trailer during Summer Game Fest, revealing a surprise Splitgate 2 battle royale mode for 60-player, 15-team matches. Despite the big reveal, the general reception that followed was likely not what the studio had expected or wanted.

Splitgate 2 Update Roadmap Revealed

A content roadmap for Splitgate 2 reveals what is coming to the first-person shooter at the start of the open beta and in the months following.

Fans were quick to point out the cost of some cosmetic packs, with some bundles reaching over $140. There was some backlash to CEO Ian Proulx wearing a “Make FPS Great Again” hat and throwing shade at the Call of Duty series for repetitive annual releases during the Summer Game Fest, too. Some players pointed out how such actions and words felt hypocritical in light of a trend-following battle royale mode, expensive microtransactions, and perceptions of the game being “unfinished.” During the open beta, Splitgate 2 suffered some server issues, and while the game’s servers are back online, some Steam reviewers have still called the title “broken” and needing additional work.

Splitgate 2 Reviews Take a Hit Following Battle Royale Mode and Expensive Microtransactions

While Splitgate 2 reviews were already mixed through the beta, they had been trending positively leading up to the full release. Things took a turn the next day, though, with the game’s June 7 reviews being 43% positive and 57% negative at the time of writing. That makes it the first day since the open beta started that Splitgate 2‘s negative feedback has outnumbered the recommendations. A similar thing happened in April when Path of Exile 2 saw declining Steam reviews after the community became frustrated with high-priced cosmetics.

Microtransactions are always a touchy subject. Despite a large outcry against them, especially when they get too expensive, they’re an undoubtedly successful business model. A recent report confirmed that most PC gaming revenue comes from microtransactions, with spending on these in-game purchases totaling $24.4 billion in 2024 alone. As a free-to-play title, the presence of paid cosmetics in Splitgate 2 is not surprising, but the cost of these bundles, alongside controversy about the way the studio has presented the game, seems to have hurt it, at least for now.